Customer Service versus ‘Bums on Seats’!

February 12, 2015

In the Travel Industry, the emphasis always used to be on Customer Service, with sufficient time taken with each customer ensuring that the holiday they chose, whether it was a week in Spain or a
Round-The-World trip, went like a dream. Then along came the 'bucket shop' closely followed by the arrival of online agents and the 'bums on seats' mentality began - "sell 'em cheap 'n' stack 'em high!"

Customer Service, as we knew it, went out of the window with the extra cheap deals but it didn't matter as profits increased due to quantity and definitely not quality. (So did the customer complaints!)

However it is starting to turn back full circle. People, although on a budget and looking for a good deal - expect more. High Street Travel Agents, which lost out big time when the online surge occurred, are reporting a gradual increase in the number of customers seeking advise face to face. People trust their High Street shop, but not necessarily their online provider who are often sales people rather than travel specialists and that certainly shows in the quality of holidays provided.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but the key message is give people what they want and they will value the service provided, come back again and critically, will tell their friends and family.